I was sort of sad when I woke up today realizing that it was my last day on this awesome trip.
In talking to a friend yesterday, she asked if 10 days was too long. It did not take a minute to respond "absolutely not!" It was perfect. We were kept just busy enough and the itinerary was varied enough to make every day new and interesting. Again...the best part was not having to make a decision. We just enjoyed...and it was so perfectly planned.
So we dressed, ate breakfast together, and headed out to see our last sights in Paris.
Our bus driver was great about taking whatever route would take us past the most scenic places. There was not a sight we missed, including the famous Paris design district today.
The original home of Chanel was open, but sadly the husbands blocked the doors of the bus before we could escape to explore.
So we were off to the Louvre.
I guess a trip would not be complete without viewing all of the masterworks on display here.
Without seeming totally unappreciative of fine art, I must say there was an enormous obsession with nudity back in the day!
Around every corner, and in every form from sculpture to paint we witnessed naked!
All in the name of art of course.
Moving on...magnificent murals and beautiful glass.
That was much more appealing to me!
And of course, I braved the crowd to get up close and personal with Mona Lisa.
A last lunch in Paris and we headed to the church and shrine of St. Vincent de Paul.
For the members of our parish, this was a very special stop.
We have a very strong Vincent de Paul ministry at our church that serves the poor and underprivileged.
We heard the detailed story of his life, where he left one of the richest families in France, started his own holy order, and vowed never to meet anyone poorer that he was.
His holy and giving life inspired so many to treat the poor with more repect and dignity.
His body was there lightly covered in wax for all to view.
After this touching visit, we were off to my favorite church of all.
The church of the Miraculous Medal is where I could have spent hours.
Once again, we were able with our group to celebrate mass with Father Timothy.
This church was on the sight where our Blessed Mother appeared to Catherine of Laboure, giving her instructions for casting the miraculous metal.
Every detail of her life and her vision was explained and became so real in this holiest of places.
It would have taken hours to read about and explore all of the details in this magnificent church.
It was such an inspiring place.
The Sisters of Charity still have an active order inside the walls of this church.
One of the best parts of this trip was becoming more aware of the rich history of our church.
We all tend to take so much for granted and we get in such a habit of worship, without going back to the roots. This took me to place that helped me grow so much in understanding. So much more to learn.
One last stroll down the crowded streets, past a precious French daddy, to find my husband the one thing he had missed.....ESCARGOT!
YUCK!
Being the good wife, and knowing that this was the one experience he had looked forward to, I sat....and watched him dig those dang snails out of the shells.
I treated myself to one last Creme Brûlée and suffered through the oohs and ahhhs of pleasure he was experiencing!
What a very happy man he is.
Our final farewell dinner....so sad to go.
Goodbye to the most fabulous tour guide ever....Veronique.
She made our trip. Her humor, her knowledge, her excitement....
she was incredible.
And I think she had a bit of a tour guide crush on our pastor whom she called Father "Whatawaste".
Tomorrow we wake up and board our plane for a long 10 hour flight home.
We are leaving Paris with not one regret.
We could not have asked for more from our first trip out of the country...really our first trip much of anywhere.
It was worth the wait. We were the pilgrims who traveled in awe. I was the pilgrim who according to Father Timothy "cried their way across France". Ahhhh, they were such good tears.
